rocker panel removal
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Lincolnton NC
rocker panel removal
Anyone ever replaced a rocker panel before? It looks like the quarter has to come off to get it on?!? I was attacked by a parking deck 
Luckily dad owns a body shop that specializes in vettes, so they will do the work, I was just curious...
Luckily dad owns a body shop that specializes in vettes, so they will do the work, I was just curious...
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 8
From: Southwest Virginia
I would patch that! Rockers are glued on the frame. They are glued to the bottom of the frame and come all the way around to the top of the frame and glued again. They extend all the way up to the top of the door and glued all the way up there too. Plus on that FRC it makes it even harder because you can't get to the bolts to remove the rear fender. 
The fender has to be removed before you can remove the rockers. Patch that thing! 
The fender has to be removed before you can remove the rockers. Patch that thing!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,308
Likes: 1
From: The Beautiful Greater Bay Area California
Originally Posted by SpeedyZ
I would patch that! Rockers are glued on the frame. They are glued to the bottom of the frame and come all the way around to the top of the frame and glued again. They extend all the way up to the top of the door and glued all the way up there too. Plus on that FRC it makes it even harder because you can't get to the bolts to remove the rear fender. The fender has to be removed before you can remove the rockers. Patch that thing!
The fender has to be removed before you can remove the rockers. Patch that thing! 
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,394
Likes: 6
From: Melbourne FL
Originally Posted by SpeedyZ
I would patch that! Rockers are glued on the frame. They are glued to the bottom of the frame and come all the way around to the top of the frame and glued again. They extend all the way up to the top of the door and glued all the way up there too. Plus on that FRC it makes it even harder because you can't get to the bolts to remove the rear fender. The fender has to be removed before you can remove the rockers. Patch that thing!
The fender has to be removed before you can remove the rockers. Patch that thing! Major PITA to remove. In most cases they will get destroyed in the removal process and you'lll need to buy new ones. Just patch them up and repaint.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,276
Likes: 227
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...00&forum_id=53
there are 2 people in this thread that have the info on rocker replacement(not saying that's what you need)
a new rocker is <200 from local gm dealer
there's another guy on the boards that owns a body shop and can help getting you in the right direction on how to fix the rocker(ie: materials/process needed)
there are 2 people in this thread that have the info on rocker replacement(not saying that's what you need)
a new rocker is <200 from local gm dealer
there's another guy on the boards that owns a body shop and can help getting you in the right direction on how to fix the rocker(ie: materials/process needed)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Lincolnton NC
Thanks guys, i forgot to add a subscription to this thread. I talked to my dad's bodyman today, he said it pays 6 hrs to replace, which is a lot of time for something that "minor". We already have the new part, but I have to find a week I can take the car home. I think he's gonna patch it. Id rather dad do it cuzs he like the grand master at fiberglass work but he's KOed from cancer. That stuff sneaks up pretty bad
Ill let yall know how it goes, Cary is a hell of a bodyman, and the painter rocks too, so she'll be fine
Im still pissed that i hit the deck to begin with.
Oh, and as for that description, just stay far away from anything that has a lot of parked cars around it, and anything with non horizontal concrete (less its banked of course
Ill let yall know how it goes, Cary is a hell of a bodyman, and the painter rocks too, so she'll be fine
Im still pissed that i hit the deck to begin with. Oh, and as for that description, just stay far away from anything that has a lot of parked cars around it, and anything with non horizontal concrete (less its banked of course
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Newark California
Originally Posted by _Rudy_
Thanks guys, i forgot to add a subscription to this thread. I talked to my dad's bodyman today, he said it pays 6 hrs to replace, which is a lot of time for something that "minor". We already have the new part, but I have to find a week I can take the car home. I think he's gonna patch it. Id rather dad do it cuzs he like the grand master at fiberglass work but he's KOed from cancer. That stuff sneaks up pretty bad
Ill let yall know how it goes, Cary is a hell of a bodyman, and the painter rocks too, so she'll be fine Im still pissed that i hit the deck to begin with.
Oh, and as for that description, just stay far away from anything that has a lot of parked cars around it, and anything with non horizontal concrete (less its banked of course
Ill let yall know how it goes, Cary is a hell of a bodyman, and the painter rocks too, so she'll be fine
Im still pissed that i hit the deck to begin with. Oh, and as for that description, just stay far away from anything that has a lot of parked cars around it, and anything with non horizontal concrete (less its banked of course
Easy fix. Will suffer utter failure trying to get it off. They say to use a heat gun but the heat also delaminates and pretty much destroys the SMC. Doesn't look like its all the way through. Paint will be the hardest part. Evercoat makes a filler for SMC.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Lincolnton NC
Actually, it is all the way through. There is a hole on the side near the back, and the bottom of the rocker is split. The damage is actually worse than the picture shows. Thats why dad went on and ordered a new rocker. I think Cary may plan on sectioning in the damaged area. I know that would be easy enough with straight fiberglass, but Ive not messed with SMC any, so I have no clue. Thats why I'll leave it to the pros. 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Lincolnton NC
Ok guys:
Got the old rocker off (completely destroyed). Looks like to do a rocker job completely right, you would have to take the quarter off (dunno what all that takes), and the fiberglass cover for the door pilar, as the rocker goes behind both. Cary (the bodyman) was able to trim the front of the new rocker enough that he could slide it under the door pilar. He was able to slide the back under the quarter too, but it split a little. No biggie there, simple patch up. He said this was one of the hardest repairs he's had to do because of how the car was built, but i think he was nervous cuz it belongs to the owners. Whatever, i trust him.
here are a few pics:
Got the old rocker off (completely destroyed). Looks like to do a rocker job completely right, you would have to take the quarter off (dunno what all that takes), and the fiberglass cover for the door pilar, as the rocker goes behind both. Cary (the bodyman) was able to trim the front of the new rocker enough that he could slide it under the door pilar. He was able to slide the back under the quarter too, but it split a little. No biggie there, simple patch up. He said this was one of the hardest repairs he's had to do because of how the car was built, but i think he was nervous cuz it belongs to the owners. Whatever, i trust him.
here are a few pics:
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Newark California
Originally Posted by _Rudy_
Ok guys:
Got the old rocker off (completely destroyed). Looks like to do a rocker job completely right, you would have to take the quarter off (dunno what all that takes), and the fiberglass cover for the door pilar, as the rocker goes behind both. Cary (the bodyman) was able to trim the front of the new rocker enough that he could slide it under the door pilar. He was able to slide the back under the quarter too, but it split a little. No biggie there, simple patch up. He said this was one of the hardest repairs he's had to do because of how the car was built, but i think he was nervous cuz it belongs to the owners. Whatever, i trust him.
Got the old rocker off (completely destroyed). Looks like to do a rocker job completely right, you would have to take the quarter off (dunno what all that takes), and the fiberglass cover for the door pilar, as the rocker goes behind both. Cary (the bodyman) was able to trim the front of the new rocker enough that he could slide it under the door pilar. He was able to slide the back under the quarter too, but it split a little. No biggie there, simple patch up. He said this was one of the hardest repairs he's had to do because of how the car was built, but i think he was nervous cuz it belongs to the owners. Whatever, i trust him.
Last edited by TheLaserShop; Nov 28, 2005 at 08:16 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Lincolnton NC
Well, I wish I had a better picture of the damage. It actually put a hole about two inches in diameter in the rocker and had the rear section behind the damage pushed in. The rocker was actually split across the bottom. They were worried about being able to get to the back of the damage to correctly fix it, and since the car is so new, they wanted to fix it right. He was able to slide the new piece in behind the quarter panel without removing it.
here's the old one:
here's the old one:
